BUDDERSIDE – White Flame (2024)

Armed with elements of every vital decade of hard rock history, modern rock ’n’ roll American outfit BUDDERSIDE deliver high-energy anthems. “White Flame” is the title of their new album, and indeed they mix the powerful sound of well-done modern rock with 80s & 90s groove. Just listen the track “Voices”; it sounds like White Lion wrapped by a 2024 production.
As happens with many current bands managed by themselves, BUDDERSIDE are releasing singles every three months or so, and then compiling them into a full album with the addition of previously unreleased tracks. That’s the case with “White Flame”.
The band also excels in sonic storytelling – despite not having a big company behind them, Budderside produce high-standard produced videos for almost each song, including elaborated FX. And the album is really well produced too, with a vibrant punch.

Coming in full force ‘Good For Nothing’ opens with a huge energy that seems to be common with the LA rockers. There’s something fun about the large guitars backed by the pounding beat of the drums, ‘Good For Nothing’ has got spirit. Vocally Patrick Stone delivers a raspy but power-driven melodic pipes that would more commonly be found on a classic metal track rather than this modern hard rock. I found myself unable to play this song loud enough, and this was just the beginning of a very solid album.
Keeping up with the attention-grabbing hard rock ‘Voices’ pulls you into a huge room filling riff. This one is more like a melodic hard rocker, but it doesn’t steer away from the heavy guitars and strong drums.

Third track ‘A Thousand Teardrops’ features a bit of use of electronics, showing that Budderside aren’t a band trying to be like artists of the past and that they are very much in the present. ‘A Thousand Teardrops’ leans a little heavier than the previous two songs and had me even more excited by ‘White Flame’ than I already was. It’s also very catchy which makes it one of my favourites on the album.
Going in a slightly different direction ‘Never Worth It’ had me making mental comparisons to late Nienties acts ,a little alternative yet heavy-melodic. Where the previous songs on ‘White Flame’ all had this fun high energy, ‘Never Worth It’ seems to pull more from harder emotions like anger or sadness. I have no doubt that hard rock listeners are going to love this hard-hitting chorus that instrumentally punches you in the face while the soaring vocals deliver the catchy title lyric.

‘The Truth’ is another one that feels very rooted in modern hard rock with elements of the early 2000’s. This one is clearly emotion fuelled, the track thunders through your ears in the verses while the chorus settles into a more melodic sound letting the apparent anger of the lyric shine through. The sweeping guitar solo moment within solidifies this as a track that would easily be found on a 2000’s hard rock album.
‘Evol’ has a driving riff that is packed with strength. Vocally the verses show off a sweeter side but that doesn’t last long, the pre- chorus comes in and not only do the vocals build the tension, but the drums prepare you for the massive chorus.

After the excitement of ‘Evol’, ‘Joker’ is a much needed cool down. It’s still got power to it, yet it’s a little more melodious and has a feeling of love. A simple melody with the raspy vocals still delivering pure soaring power, this one is a nice song that feels very fitted to its place on the album.
One of my favourite things in hard rock music is when it’s made to feel just a little bit spooky, and Budderside nail that with the next track ‘Ghostlighting’. The guitars drive that spooky Halloween sound while the vocals are really given an opportunity to shine.

Nearing the end of the album with only four songs left ‘Black River’ makes itself stand out as being more rhythm focussed in the opening verse before the chorus strikes like a viper. It may not be as exciting for me as some of the other songs has definitely earned it’s place.
‘Ain’t Alright’? is so different from the other songs on ‘White Flame’. This one starts off feeling like it’s trying to inspire hope and is full of light but then the chorus comes in giving it this twisted feeling. I was about ready to give up on this song if it wasn’t for the unusual guitar throughout the chorus. I can’t begin to explain the sort of unsettling yet enjoyable feeling this song gives me, the duality of the happy and light with this unusual darkness.

Closing ‘White Flame’ is the title track, which is an explosive, epic rock song that starts off in the form of a modern ballad. There’s a sort of goth vibe before it transforms into something massive. I loved the vocals throughout the whole album, but they especially shone in this emotion filled track.

There’s well done and enjoyable modern hard rock out there: Budderside is one of ’em and “White Flame” is able to please old-school metallers and hard rockers as well as listeners eager for a more modern sound, with punch and groove.
Highly Recommended

01 – Good For Nothing
02 – Voices
03 – A Thousand Teardrops
04 – Never Worth It
05 – The Truth
06 – Evol
07 – Joker
08 – Ghostlighting
09 – Black River
10 – Too Far
11 – Ain’t Alright
12 – White Flame

PATRICK STONE – Vocals
SAM ‘BAM’ KOLTUN – Guitar
LOGAN NIKOLIC – Guitar
JEFF DEWBRAY – Drums

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www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4MK4NRN